


Once Upon a Satinalia Night

by MischiefLavellan



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 15:25:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17123900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MischiefLavellan/pseuds/MischiefLavellan
Summary: I wrote this for my kid's God sister, it is her Christmas present. For @Lexera.  Happy Christmas Bink!





	Once Upon a Satinalia Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lexera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexera/gifts).



Lexii wearily dragged herself into the Herald's Rest, she knew she had missed the feast, and a part of her was greatful for it. She was planning on a quick meal and a rest, and just hoped Harding had left her some of the treacle tart that was supposed to be saved for the scouts. 

As she walked towards the bar to order her food, she looked around, The Iron Bull was asleep in the chair he usually sat in, with his lieutenant gently covering him with a quilt, she looked at the man and smiled wearily, “Happy Satinalia.” he nodded back at her.

She had just finished ordering her braised pork with apples from Cabot, even though she missed the feast, she could have Satinalia dinner, right, turned to go up stairs, where the only sounds she'd hear would be Sera's snoring, unless she was with Dagna, when she was stopped.

“Hey, Shadow!” she heard a familiar voice calling from a dark corner, “Come on over here, sit with us!” 

Lexii peered into the dark corner and shook her head when she saw Commander Rutherford, Nightingale, Varric, and THE INQUISITOR, having a quiet drink in the corner.

“Um, Master Tethras, I really shouldn't, I have to eat and report to Harding, and then m'lord I intend to sleep until Nightingale sends me back out.” she said nervously, having seen the afore mentioned lady sitting there, hood pulled down with a spiced ale in her hand.

“Nonsense,” the self same lady intoned from the dark, “It is still Satinalia for another few hours, come sit, drink with us, toast the holiday.”

Lexii swallowed hard, and forced herself to accept, she looked at Cabot and nodded towards the corner, he nodded in return. She really liked the crotchety old dwarf, former Carta who had decided to go straight. She was there the night someone asked for their ale in a flagon of a dragon, and she laughed when Cabot's face turned an appealing shade of crimson and he physically threw the man out of the Rest. She had helped him clean up the mess the tussle had left, and the man had been exceptionally kind to her since then, even making sure she got extra large portions when she came back from missions. 

She walked over to the table, trying to look more alive than she felt, she nodded to the group, “Inquisitor, Commander, Lady Nightingale, Master Tethras, Blessed Satinalia to you all.” she said before sitting down.

“Shadow, it's Satinalia, call me Varric.” the dwarf said smiling.

“Thank you Varric.” she sat down harder than she wanted to, but she was sitting, and within moments, Cabot had Carlie, one of the waitresses bring over a heaping plate of new potatoes, braised pork, stewed apples, and greens, with a giant flagon of ale to wash it all down. “Maker this looks good, tell Mark he out did himself this time for me, will you Carlie?” Carlie nodded at her, and Lexii dug in. 

“Wow Shadow, you were hungry.” Varric said laughing.

“Well Mast... I mean Varric, I just got back from the Forbidden Oasis, Venatori everywhere. They are after something in a temple in the middle, it's what they created those skull posts for. They lead the way to the keys to the door. Honestly, it's a shit show. Giants, gurns, Venatori, Red Templars, all in the same spot, and one beautiful watering hole with all sorts of flowers and plants for the healers to use. Dragon Thorn comes from there, as does Witherstalk for poisons.” She said the last looking at Leliana. Who smiled at her, she shuddered, even Harding said that when Leliana smiled at you, it meant you were going to die.

“Was there any sign of Samson or Calpernia?” asked the Commander finally.

Shadow looked up, the sound of his voice sending shivers down her spine, and she was almost too tired to hide it, she swallowed. “No Commander, but I heard one of the Venatori speak of a Eremond and how he would take care of the Wardens, whilst their job was to secure that Temple. They also cursed your name and title, Lord Inquisitor. Your Holiness, they want you dead, and your hand for their master.” she shuddered, she remembered Corypheus, and he was once scary son of a bitch. “Apologies Holiness.” she said around a mouthful of potatoes, she swallowed, “On this blessed night we shouldn't be speaking of such things.”

“Where are you from Shadow?” asked the Inquisitor making her start and stare at him a moment, mouth open.

“Antiva m'lord, originally.” she shook her head.

Leliana stepped in, “My very good friend Zevran sent her to me Samuel, she was not fit to stay with the Crows, and so while I was with the Divine, Zev sent her to me to be part of my Ravens. I haven't regretted that choice. She is one of my most valued agents.” 

Lexii tucked her head to hide the flush that climbed up her cheeks, never had she heard the Nightingale say anything to that level. She was less intoxicated than the commanders sitting at the table, and she noticed, so was Varric, who looked at her and winked slyly. She shook her head and continued to eat, watching them all. 

Not long after the Commander stood, “Blessed Satinalia, Inquisitor, Sister Leliana, Dwarf.” he said bowing to the others, “Goodnight Shadow, a Blessed Satinalia to you.” he took her hand gently and bowed over it, smiling at her. 

Lexii felt her face flush as she swallowed hard. “And to you Commander.” she said softly, fighting to keep her control.

“Cullen, please, tonight at least, I am off duty and my name is Cullen.” 

“Goodnight Cullen.” she said, he bowed again and left the Rest, heading to his tower.

Maker save me, she thought to herself. She had had quite the crush on the Commander, ever since the day the breach opened, and he saved her from a demon's claw, shoving her out of the way, and then helping her up again, his gloved hand hot in hers.

Varric was laughing silently when she looked back at him, “Ever been to Kirkwall Shadow?” he asked.

“Not ever Varric. I hear it is an interesting place to be though, at least in the last ten years.”

“It was at that Shadow, it was at that.”

Carlie soon came to take away her plate and refill her flagon, and then she brought a large slice of treacle tart, “Compliments, Mark held it for you, Scout Harding insisted.” she said, smiling at Shadow, who was visibly starting to droop. 

“Shadow?” Leliana asked quietly.

“Yes Sister Nightingale?” she asked, stifling a yawn. 

“Go get some rest, we will continue this conversation in the morning. You are officially on a two week reprieve, as of now, happy Satinalia Samuel, Varric, Shadow.” She said, smiling, “I will be in the rookery early, come see me, give me an actual report and then you are off duty.”

“Yes ma'am.” she said nodding her head. She bent down to finish her tart, it had been saved for her and she wasn't wasting it. 

Not long after Leliana left, Samuel Trevelyan stood to take his leave, Shadow started to stand to bow to him as protocol demanded, while Varric sat there smugly, just watching. “No, no, no, no, you are exhausted Scout Shadow, just sit, it is Satinalia, we do not stand on ceremony tonight. Blessed Satinalia to both of you, Varric, we won't be headed out to the Western Approach for a couple of weeks, we are still waiting for Hawke and the Warden to send news. Get some rest, catch up on the demons of paperwork. I plan on sleeping in, but first I need to find Dorian, he was supposed to join us tonight, probably fell asleep in his chair by the fire. That man, if he doesn't take a break, this war won't take him from me, his exhaustion will. Goodnight.”

“Yes ser Thumper.” Varric said with a cheeky grin. “I will keep Shadow here company and make sure she gets to her room alright. If I have to I will wake Tiny up and he can carry her.” Lexii choked on her tart, making both men laugh. The Inquisitor took his leave, leaving Varric and Lexii alone at the table. 

“As much as I hate to say it, I cannot finish this wonderful tart.” she said sadly looking at her plate. 

Varric laughed at her, “HEY Carlie!” he shouted, making The Iron Bull huff and shift in his sleep. The girl came over, “Can you take the wonderful Shadow's tart and tuck it away for tomorrow?” he asked, “Poor girl is exhausted, I plan on walking her back to her barracks and then heading to my rooms.” 

“Yes Ser!” Carlie said sweetly, “You okay there Lex?” she asked using Lexii's real name. 

“Yeah Car, just haven't slept in about a week is all. Plan to sleep as much as The Nightingale lets me, then it's back to no sleep again.”

“Lex?” asked Varric, slyly, knowing that in her exhausted state, the scout wouldn't be guarding that hard.

“Lexii, short for Alexandria.”

“You were a Crow?”

She shook her head, “Crow in training. I was sold to them by my bastard father, who didn't want to acknowledge me, he was an Antivan Prince, and well bastards are a threat to the rule of the land, and so, I was sold to the Crows. I was 3.”

“Well shit. And a friend of Sister Leliana's sent you to her?” Lexii nodded, “Before this mess?” she nodded again, “How old were you?”

“I was 18 when I was sent to the Left Hand, I had been in training 15 years, and then Zevran Ariani came, and slaughtered the house I was in. I didn't fight, in fact, I was happy they were dead. He asked me who I was, and when I told him he laughed, he remembered me, and told me he had somewhere safe for me to be. He sent me to Orlais to meet with the Left Hand of the Divine. And that as they say was it.”

They talked for the rest of the time they sat there and then Varric stood, “Come on Shadow, let's get you to your rooms.” She nodded and stood, swaying slightly, he took her arm to steady her. “Maybe I should go get Curly to help?” he asked looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

“NO!” she started, “I mean no, I am fine.”

“Oh ho! So, he isn't the only one.”

“Shut up Dwarf.” she said grumpily.

“You even sound like him! This is going to be fun.”

After that there was little talking, Varric watched as she walked into her dorm and fell face first onto her bunk, and was immediately asleep. He smiled to himself and made a note, tomorrow he would start operation make Curly happy. He chuckled as he closed the door and headed to the main hall to find his room, he saw Chuckles standing on the dais as he got there, “Blessed Satinalia Chuckles.” 

“And to you Master Tethras, you seem pleased.”

“Oh I am, I really am.” he said, then whistling, walked into his room to get some sleep.

The end, or is it?


End file.
